Mandarin Beginner Course

General Mandarin for Beginners

Start speaking Mandarin with confidence in everyday situations

This beginner Mandarin Chinese course introduces the language through real-life conversations and practical situations. Based on materials from Routledge, you’ll build the skills to communicate in everyday contexts while developing a strong foundation in pronunciation, characters, and sentence structure.

You’ll join the right beginner stage based on your starting level:

Foundations (CEFR A1.1): Start from zero and build essential communication skills
Elementary (CEFR A1.2): Expand into daily life conversations and simple interactions

You’ll learn to:

1. Handle basic conversations such as greetings, introductions, and everyday interactions
2. Read and write Chinese characters, supported by pinyin (pronunciation system)
3. Understand and respond in common real-life situations
4. Build confidence through structured conversation practice

Who This Mandarin Course Is For

• Complete beginners with no prior experience
• Learners restarting Mandarin from the basics
• Those learning Mandarin for travel, social, or personal interest
• Learners who want a structured, practical approach

What You’ll Learn (Beginner Mandarin)

Foundations (A1.1)

• Introduce yourself and exchange greetings
• Talk about your name, nationality, and age
• Ask and answer simple yes/no questions
• Use basic time expressions and make simple appointments
• Read and write basic Chinese characters used in introductions and simple personal information (e.g. name, nationality, age)

Elementary (A1.2)

• Talk about your family and ask about others
• Discuss dates, schedules, and the weather
• Ask for directions and understand location-based language
• Shop, ask about prices, and interact in everyday transactions
• Recognise and write common Chinese characters used in everyday contexts (e.g. time, directions, signs, shopping)

Across both stages, you’ll build practical speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills for real-life communication.

Typical Real-Life Situations You’ll Handle in Mandarin

• Meeting people and introducing yourself
• Talking about your background and daily life
• Asking for directions and navigating places
• Ordering food and shopping in everyday situations
• Making plans and arranging schedules

Course Structure & Delivery

• Small-group, interactive classes (3-6 learners)
• 15 × 90 minute group sessions
• Conversation-focused with guided practice
• Step-by-step progression through practical scenarios

Each session builds towards clear “can-do” communication outcomes.

Entry Level

• No prior knowledge required for beginners

(A short placement check may be used if needed.)

Assessment & Certification

• Ongoing feedback throughout the course
• Progress tracked through practical tasks and participation, with digital materials included
• Final exam and CEFR aligned certificate included

Outcomes & Next Steps

• Handle simple conversations in everyday situations
• Understand and use essential Mandarin expressions
• Continue to the next level with a solid foundation

Terms and Conditions

• Refunds can be made up to 48 hours before the course starts. No refunds can be provided after this time.
• A minimum exam score of 70% is required for CEFR certificate issuance.
• In the case of only 2 student enrollments, the course will be converted to a semi-private format of 15 hours.